Human Rights First
Human Rights First is an independent, non-partisan, advocacy and action organization that works to advance free and equal societies. We hold perpetrators accountable, protect people from injustice, and strengthen institutions that safeguard universal rights. For almost 50 years, Human Rights First has built bipartisan coalitions and worked with lawyers and human rights defenders to address global challenges. The organization is based in New York, washington, d.c., and los angeles.
Human Rights First at a glance
- Total assets
- $8,913,031
- -47.2% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $7,586,875
- -48.4% vs 2023
- Net investment income (2024)
- $444,793
- -28.5% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $12,244,953
- -18.8% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Human Rights First funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
2 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1 grant of 2 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2022) to $208K (2021). In 2022 it made 1 grant totaling $30K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Council on Int Policy Los Angeles, CA | GRANT | $30,072 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,913,031 | $7,586,875 | $12,244,953 | — | — | $444,793 |
| 2023 | $16,896,740 | $14,711,146 | $15,085,940 | — | — | $622,337 |
| 2022 | $16,184,151 | $14,486,544 | $15,916,416 | $30,072 | 1 | $-100,104 |
| 2021 | $18,464,972 | $13,892,305 | $13,546,996 | $208,218 | 1 | $256,128 |
| 2020 | $18,327,603 | $12,876,194 | $10,409,945 | — | — | $287,299 |
| 2019 | $13,961,911 | $14,333,972 | $10,414,351 | — | — | $213,893 |
About Human Rights First
Based on IRS filings
Human Rights First is a public charity focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $8.9M in total assets. Net investment income was $445K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Human Rights First is led by Michael F. Breen, President & CEO on filings since 2019; 15 of 44 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael F. Breen
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$246K (2019) → $156K (2024)
Susan E. Hendrickson
President & CEO
Director → President & CEO, 2024
On filings since 2021
37.5 hrs/week
$134K (2024)
Eleanor Acer
Senior Director Global Humanitarian Protection
Senior Dir-Ref Prot. → Senior Director Refugee Program, 2020
Senior Director Refugee Program → Senior Director Global Humanitarian Protection, 2024
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$151K (2019) → $165K (2024)
Jenna K. Gilbert
Senior Director & Refugee Representation
Director & Refugee Representation → Senior Director & Refugee Representation, 2024
On filings since 2022
37.5 hrs/week
$129K (2022) → $150K (2024)
Perris Richter
Senior Director & Innovation Lab
Associate Director & Innovation Lab → Senior Director & Innovation Lab, 2024
On filings since 2022
37.5 hrs/week
$120K (2022) → $162K (2024)
Adam Keith
Senior Director Accountability
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$156K (2024)
Anwen Hughes
Senior Director Legal Services
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$130K (2024)
Jason Long
Technical Director & Innovation Lab
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$125K (2024)
Laura Senkevitch
Director Donor Relations
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$179K (2024)
Robyn Barnard
Senior Director & Refugee Advocacy
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$151K (2024)
David P. Matthews
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Bowyer
Director
Director → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mona Sutphen
Director
Co-Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sanja Partalo
Director
Director → Co-Chair, 2023
Co-Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom A. Bernstein
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William D. Zabel
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Simon - Skjodt
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay Carney
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mara Frankel Wallace
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah H Cleveland
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alencia Johnson
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Jealous
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carlos Pascual
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Amirfar
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gil Ha
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Krishna Omkar
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fiona Philip
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Drimmer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nat Kreamer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nithya Thadani
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ben Morelli
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brendan Condon
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Rozen
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kurt Pacquette
Senior Vice President & Finance
Director of Finance → Finance Director, 2020
Finance Director → Senior Vice President & Finance, 2021
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$117K (2019) → $171K (2024)
Jennifer A Quigley
Vice President & Advocacy
Senior Director & Govt Affair → Vice President & Advocacy, 2024
On filings since 2021
37.5 hrs/week
$125K (2021) → $161K (2024)
Licha Nyiendo
Chief Legal Officer
On filings since 2022
37.5 hrs/week
$158K (2022) → $135K (2024)
Quentin Hines
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2022
37.5 hrs/week
$127K (2022) → $138K (2024)
Marc Tobias
COO
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$225K (2024)
Donald Francis Donovan
Co-Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lev A. Sviridov
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynda Clarizio
Co-Chair
Vice Chair → Director, 2023
Director → Co-Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matthew S. Dontzin
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hassan Murphy
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert A. Mandell
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (49)
- Former: J. Adam Abram (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Michael K. Rozen (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Robbie Karp (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Benedict P. Morelli (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Nazanin Rafsanjani (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Acer Eleanor A. (2023) — Senior Director
- Former: Bernfield James B. (2023) — Senior Vice President of Mktg & Committee
- Former: Breen Michael F. (2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Hines Quentin (2023) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Mellen Jennifer A. (2023) — Senior Vice President Development
- Former: Nyiendo Licha M. (2023) — Chief Legal Officer
- Former: Pacquette Kurt (2023) — Senior Vice President Finance
- Former: Quigley Jennifer A. (2023) — Senior Director
- Former: Richter Perris (2023) — Associate Director
- Former: Shora Kareem (2023) — Exe Vice President Program & Policy
- Former: Wilson Erin E. (2023) — Senior Director
- Former: Bobby Mandell (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Vinincia Ellington Dorsey (2019–2022) — Senior Vice President, Hr & Officer
- Former: James B. Bernfield (2020–2022) — Senior Vice President, Mkt & Committee
- Former: Jennifer Mellen (2020–2022) — Senior Vice President & Development
- Former: Cindy Simon-Skjodt (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Kareem Shora (2022) — Executive Vice President, Program & Policy
- Former: Nat Kraemer (2022) — Director
- Former: Cynthia M Burns (2019–2021) — Vice President & Operations
- Former: Kerry Kennedy (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Matthew G Olsen (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Nicole Elkon (2020–2021) — COO
- Former: Robert N Kreamer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Welton Chang (2020–2021) — Chief Tech Officer
- Former: Alberto Mora (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Hardy Vieux (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President & Legal
- Former: Raha Wala (2019–2020) — Senior Director & Govt Rel
- Former: Robert Berschinski (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President & Policy
- Former: Sharon Kelly McBride (2019–2020) — Senior Vice President & Advocacy
- Former: Tony Blinken (2019–2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Zachary Silverstein (2019–2020) — COO
- Former: A Ashe Meyers - left in (2020) — Director
- Former: Bishop Morris Garrison Jr. (2020) — Ntl Secretary Outreach
- Former: Leslie Gimbel-left in (2020) — Director
- Former: Lewis B Kaden-left in (2020) — Director
- Former: M Greenberg-left in (2020) — Director
- Former: RS Greathead-left in (2020) — Director
- Former: Alexi Ashe Meyers (2019) — Director
- Former: Elisa Massimino (2019) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Leslie Gimbel (2019) — Director
- Former: Lewis B Kaden (2019) — Director
- Former: Melissa Hooper (2019) — Director Frgn Pl & Advisor
- Former: Myrna K Greenberg (2019) — Director
- Former: R Scott Greathead (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $225K, to Marc Tobias (COO). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Human Rights First
How large is Human Rights First?
Human Rights First reported $8.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.6M.
What is Human Rights First?
Human Rights First is a public charity focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in New York, NY. It holds $8.9M in total assets as of 2024.
Where does Human Rights First operate?
Human Rights First has awarded grants in California.
What is Human Rights First's EIN?
Human Rights First's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3116646. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 7, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 22, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Human Rights First down — hundreds of funders to go?